1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to heat sink clips, and particularly to clips which are economical to manufacture and which securely attach a heat sink to an electronic device mounted on a circuit board.
2. Prior Art
Computer electronic devices such as central processing units (CPUs) frequently generate large amounts of heat. Oftentimes, a heat sink is attached onto a top surface of a CPU by using any of a variety of currently available clips. By removing heat from the CPU, the heat sink protects the CPU and associated components from instability and damage.
Referring to FIG. 6, a conventional clip comprises a central spring portion 101 and two legs 103 depending from opposite ends thereof. Each leg 103 defines an opening 105 engagably receiving a corresponding catch 107 formed on a side of a socket, to secure a heat sink 100 on an electronic device mounted on the socket. A pressing point of the clip acting on the heat sink generally coincides with a center of the clip.
Contemporary high-speed CPUs are generating more and more heat. Heat sinks are correspondingly being made larger and larger. As a result, it is now commonplace that the pressing point does not coincide with the center of the clip. This results in the heat sink and electronic device being prone to disengage when subjected to vibration or shock during normal use.
To solve the above problem, a pair of clips is often used to attach a heat sink to an electronic device. The heat sink is secured between a pair of retention modules. The clips abut against opposite sides of a base of the heat sink. Opposite legs of each clip engage with opposite sides of the corresponding retention module. However, because two clips are required, this solution is costly.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a clip which securely attaches a heat sink to an electronic device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a clip which is compact and economical to manufacture.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, a clip in accordance with the present invention comprises a fastener and a handle. The fastener includes a lower engaging portion, a horizontal U-shaped spring portion extending from the engaging portion, and an inverted U-shaped suspending portion extending from the spring portion. An opening is defined in a lower part of the engaging portion. A horizontal slot is defined in a middle part of the engaging portion. The handle comprises a horizontal base portion, a pair of parallel fingers extending from one side of the base portion, and a pressing portion extending from an opposite side of base portion. The fingers of the handle are deformably received through the slot of the fastener, such that the handle is movably held in the fastener and cannot be accidentally disengaged therefrom.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with attached drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of four clips each of the present invention; together with a heat sink, and an electronic device and a retention module both mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB);
FIG. 2 is an enlarged assembled view of one of the clips of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a partly assembled view of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a fully assembled view of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is an front plan view of FIG. 4; and
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional fastener attaching a heat sink onto an electronic device mounted on a socket.